Method and apparatus for forming plaits



Feb. 4,)1947. I Q E SEDGLEY 2,415,375

' A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING P LA'ITS Filed April 16. 1946flmwug Patented Feb. 4, 1947 UNl'i'ED STATES PA METHOD AND APPARATUS FORFGRMING PLAITS Grace E. Sedgley, Alexandria, Va.

Application April 1G, 1946, Serial No. 662,511

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming plaits inall types of flexible materials and more specifically, to a method andapparatus for forming plaits in fabric materials.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a method andapparatus for quickly forming plaits which are accurately spaced andsized.

A further object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor quickly forming, in fabrics, accurately spaced and sized plaits ofthe standard knife, box or inverted types, Without requiring changes inthe method or the design or construction of the apparatus.

As a further object of this invention it is proposed to provideapparatus for forming plaits which is inexpensive to manufacture anddurable in service.

A still further object of this invention is t provide a method andapparatus for forming plaits of the type described, said method andapparatus adapted for use by persons unskilled the art.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will becomemore apparent from a consideration of the following specification whenread in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation, in part, of a shirt for womens dressapparel, showing the plaiting apparatus as applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure ,1;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the plaiting apparatus per se; A

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the plaiting apparatus illustratingthe modus operandi in forming the standard knife plait;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure ll;

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the apparatus and method utilized informing a box or inverted plait; and

Figure 'l is a side elevation of Figure 6.

Referring new more specically to the drawing, Figure 3 illustrates theapparatus designed to carry out the teachings of this invention. .inthis figure, the reference numeral 2 indicates a strip or tape ofrelatively flexible material which is provided with a plurality ofindicating elements or markers t, 5, il. itl and l2. As depicted inFigure 3, these elements are aligned and spaced from each other at equalintervals, the spacing being in the direction of the longitudinal axisof the strip.

The indicating elements il, t, 3, l and i2 may be printed on the strip 2and may be of any desired configuration. It is obvious.' of course, thatthese elements may comprise separate members which could be secured tothe strip by any desirable and convenient expedient.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing villustrate one application of theplaiting apparatus. In these figures the reference numeral it indicatesa fabric such asthe skirt portion of a ladys dress,

having an inner surface it and an outer or exterior surface I8. As shownin Figure 2, the lower edge of the garment is folded inwardly to form ahem 2S and a strip 2 having the described indicating elements is securedthereto by stitches 22.

A second strip 2', bearing similar indicia 2t, 2t, ttl, 32, @il and 36,and having the same spacing between adjacent markers, is then secured bystitches 2li to the inner surface it adjacent the waist of the garment,and the garment is new ready for the plaiting operation.

The method employed in folding the fabric It and its annexed strips 2and 2' to form the standard knife type plaits is illustrated in Figuresl and 5. In these figures the fabric material and one of the strips hasIbeen omitted for the purpose of simplicity.

In forming the knife plait the operator rst folds the material on a lineextending between elements @i and 2li (Figures l and fl) forming thefold 3'?. The folded material is then moved toward the indicatingelements G and 28 and the indicating elements i and 25 and 2S, arebrought into substantial contact with each other to form the fold line'd8 (Figure 4). IThe folded material is then pressed to complete theformation of the plait. Thereafter, the operations are identical withrespect to each pair of succeeding indicating elements on each strip.

lf it is desired to form a box plait the elements It and il, and 25 and28 (Figures l, 6 and 7) are I brought into contact to form the foldlines Si and 38, in the manner described above. The material is thenfolded on a line extending betweenv elements 3 and 3! to form the fold51S. Thereafter, the elements t and 3E! are moved laterally (to the leftin Figure 6) into contact with elements l and fi. and 2t and 23,respectively, to form the fold $2, The process is then repeated for thenext succeeding series of elements on each strip.

The apparatus and method employed in carrying out the teachings of thisinvention are quite simple, and as a result thereof, the invention findsmany uses. For example, womens clothing manufacturers may reduce thetime consuming, expensive and tedious work of hand forming plaitsthrough the application of this invention, and further, the plaitforming method does not reduire the services of a skilled employee.

The invention facilitates the pressing operations in dry cleaningestablishments and in the home; and it is obvious that it may beexpeditiously employed in dressmaking schools of all types.

Having described one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is tobeunderstood that various modifications and departures, therefrom may bemade within the scope thereof, and that the invention is to be limitedonly by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a fabric to be plaited, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising a strip of flexible material secured to andpositioned adjacent one edge of said fabric and a second strip offlexible material secured to and disposed Y adjacent the opposite edgeof said fabric, said first and second strips each being provided with aplurality of fold-line markers at regularly spaced intervals, eachmarker on each of said strips being juxtaposed with respect to animmediately adjacent marker on each respective strip, the spacing ofsaid markers on each of said strips being in a direction substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of their respective strip, the spacinginterval for said markers of said first strip having a value equal tothe value of the spacing interval of said markers for said second strip.

2. In combination with a fabric to be plated, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising a strip of iiexible material secured to andpositioned adjacent one edge of said fabric and a second strip offlexible material secured to and disposed adjacent the opposite edge ofsaid fabric, said first and second strips each being provided with aplurality of fold-line markers at regularly spaced intervals, eachmarker on each of said strips fold-line indicating means, each of saidindicating means being positioned contiguous to an immediately adjacentindicating means.

7. A method for folding fabrics to form plaits comprising the steps offirst securing to each edge of a pair of oppositely disposed edges ofsaid fabric a strip of material having a plurality of fold-lineindicating elements spaced at regular intervals, second, folding saidfabric and said strips on a line extending between the first of y saidindicating elements of each of said strips,

third, forming a second fold by moving said first indicating elements ofeach of said strips, re-

being juxtaposed with respect to an immediately 'adjacent marker on eachrespective strip, the

spacing of Said markers on each of said strips being in a directionsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of their respectivestrip.

3. In combination with a fabric to be plaited, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising a strip of exible material secured to andpositioned adjacent one edge of said fabric and a second strip offlexible material secured to and disposed adjacent the opposite edge ofsaid fabric, said first and second strips each being provided with aplurality of fold-line markers at spaced intervals, each marker on'eachof said strips being juxtaposed with respect to an immediately adjacentmarker on each respective strip, the spacing of said markers on each ofsaid strips extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of theirrespective strip.

4. In combination with a fabric to be plaited, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising a strip of Yflexible material securedto andpositioned adjacent one edge of said fabric and a second strip offlexible material secured to Aand disposed adjacent the other edge ofsaid fabric, said first and second strips being provided, respectively,with a plurality of fold-line markers, each marker on each cf saidstrips being juxtaposed with respect to an immediately adjacent markeron each respective strip.

5. In combination with a fabric to be plaited, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising at least one strip of exible materialsecured to and disposed adjacent one edge of said fabric, said stripbeing provided with a plurality of spaced, aligned fold-line indicatingelements, each indicating element being juxtaposed with respect to animmediately adjacent indicating element.

6. In combination with a fabric to be plaited, a plait fold-lineindicating device comprising at least one strip of flexible materialsecured to and disposed adjacent one edge' of said fabric, said stripbeing provided with a plurality of spaced spectively, into substantialcontact with the next adjacent indicating element on each of theirrespective strips, whereby said first fold-line substantially coincideswith aline extending between said adjacent elements on each of saidstrips, fourth, exerting pressure on said fabric and said strips on saidfold-lines, and fifth, repeating steps two to four, inclusive, withrespect to each pair of succeeding indicating elements appearing on saidstrips.

8. A method for folding fabrics to form piaits comprising the steps offirst securing to each edge of a pair of oppositely disposed edges ofsaid fabric a strip of material having a plurality of foldlineindicating elements spaced at regular intervals, second, folding saidfabric and said strips on a line extending between the iirst of saidindi eating elements of each of said strips, third, forming a secondfold by moving Said first indicating elements of each of said strips,respectively, into substantial contact with the next adjacent indicatingelement on each of their respective strips, whereby said rst fold-linesubstantially coincides with a line extending between said adjacentelemenis on each of said strips, and fourth, exerting pressure on saidfabric and said strips on said fold iines.

9. A method for folding fabrics to form plaits as defined in claim 8,and fifth, folding said fabric and said strip on a line extendingbetween the third indicating elements of said strips, sixth,

`movng said third indicating elements substantially into contact withtheir respective said adjacent elements to form a fourth fold-line, andseventh, subjecting all of said fold lines of said fabric to pressure.

10. A method for folding vfabrics to form plaits comprising the steps offirst providing said fabric with fold line indicating elements adjacenta pair of oppositely disposed edges, second, folding said fabric on aline extending between the first of said indicating elements, third,forming a second fold by moving said rst indicating elements intosubstantial contact with the next adjacent indicating element on eachedge, respectively, of said fabric, whereby said erst fold-linesubstantially coincides with a line extending between said adjacentelements, and fourth, exerting pressure on said fabric on saidfold-line.

GRACE E. SEDGLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The foliowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,124,650 Chessler July 26, 19381,185,245 Sadtler May 30, 1916 1,265,920 Lack May 14, 1918

